The invention relates to a passenger car with a transverse element that is associated with a vehicle seat, and has a non-deformable center region, as well as deformable extremities.
Such a passenger car is for example already known from German patent document DE 101 43 881 B4 and comprises a transverse element, on which the vehicle seat rests. In addition to a non-deformable center region, the transverse element comprises two deformable outer regions, via which the transverse element is supported at a side skirt arranged on the outer side and a center tunnel arranged in the vehicle center.
If the passenger car is now impacted by a corresponding crash-induced force acting in the transverse vehicle direction towards the vehicle center, the outer region of the transverse element which is arranged facing the vehicle center or the center tunnel is deformed first. The vehicle seat is thereby moved to the vehicle center—corresponding to the movement of the non-deformable center region. After the complete deformation of the outer region of the transverse element facing the vehicle center, the deformation of the deformable outer region facing the side skirt then takes place.
It is seen to be problematic with the known passenger car that the vehicle seat can be moved laterally only in an extremely limited manner due to the limited distance between the side skirt and the center tunnel or that the energy absorption by means of the outer regions of the transverse element—again due to the limited space ratios—can only take place to a low extent. It is accordingly necessary with such a passenger car to design it in an extremely stiff manner in order to avoid an excessive intrusion into the interior space during a crash-induced force impact due to a side collision of the passenger car. Such stiff arrangement of the motor vehicle body in the side region of the passenger cell necessary however involves considerable force peaks or acceleration peaks for the respective seat occupant, which have to be received by him.
It is thus an object of the present invention to create a passenger car of the above-mentioned type, where an improved occupant protection can be realized.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the passenger car according to the invention, in which the transverse element is supported at associated side skirts with respective ends. The vehicle seat is arranged in a vehicle center and can be moved with the center region after a crash-induced length reduction of the outer region facing a side impact force, whereby a crash-induced length reduction of the outer region facing away from the side impact force takes place. In other words, it is provided according to the invention that the transverse element extends over the complete width of the vehicle between or transverse to the two side skirts, wherein only one vehicle seat is associated with the transverse element, which is not arranged laterally of a center tunnel compared to the state of the art according to German patent document DE 101 43 881 B4, but rather directly in the vehicle center. This arrangement of the vehicle seat in the vehicle center first enables the renunciation of previous ideas of the body construction of passenger cars, so that the regions of the passenger cell facing the outer side can now be arranged in a corresponding resilient manner according to the invention or has an outer contour deformable over a certain length region. This is supported in the following case by the deformable outer regions of the transverse element.
A deformation sequence is thereby achieved by means of the transverse element, in which first the facing outer region is deformed with a corresponding side impact, whereafter the non-deformable center region of the transverse element is correspondingly moved away from the side impact together with the vehicle seat. Along with this moving away of the center region or of the vehicle seat, the outer region of the transverse element facing away from the side impact is now also included in the deformation sequence and correspondingly deformed or reduced in its length with energy absorption.
It can be seen that a considerable crush zone can thus be provided in the region of the side impact especially by means of the central arrangement of the side impact, wherein the vehicle seat is then moved together with the seat occupant—assuming a corresponding force impact—from the direct accident region. This movement away thereby takes place with an additional energy absorption by means of the outer region of the transverse element facing away from the side impact, which again provides that the seat occupant is impacted with relative low forces or acceleration speeds. A passenger car is thus created altogether, in which the seat occupant in the vehicle seat is included in a relatively small measure during a crash-induced force impact. Consequently, an improved occupant protection results hereby.
It is finally a further advantage of the present invention that the passenger car can be formed lighter due to the possibility for the larger deformation or intrusion of the passenger cell. As it is now possible to deform the passenger cell in its side regions by a certain amount, the measures thought to be absolutely necessary up to now for preventing a deformation or intrusion in the side region of the passenger cell can be dimensioned correspondingly smaller or be omitted altogether. The vehicle weight is thus reduced considerably.
In a further arrangement of the invention, it has furthermore been shown to be advantageous if the vehicle seat can be moved with the center region only after an at least approximately crash-induced length reduction of the outer region facing the side impact force. Hereby, a clear or stepped deformation sequence is achieved altogether, in which the outer region facing the side impact force is first deformed completely, whereafter a corresponding movement—caused by the side impact—of the non-deformable center region of the transverse element and of the vehicle seat takes place, wherein the aforesaid movement of the center element then again leads to the charge of the outer region of the transverse element facing away from the side impact force.
It has further been shown to be advantageous if the vehicle seat itself is formed as a length region of the transverse element. In other words, it is thus conceivable that parts of the transverse element—in particular of the non-deformable center region—are connected laterally to the vehicle seat itself. The vehicle seat can thereby for example be integrated into the transverse element or into the center region by means of its seat undercarriage or seat bottom region. A dual function of the seat undercarriage or of the seat bottom region results, which not only serves for holding the seat cushion part or the backrest, but also for the connection of the components of the transverse element arranged laterally of the vehicle seat or from its center region. It can be seen that a weight-beneficial arrangement of the transverse element is possible hereby. Furthermore, a simple and reliable inclusion of the vehicle seat in the transverse element results by this arrangement, so that the vehicle seat is inevitably moved out of the danger region or the impact region with a corresponding crash-induced movement of the center element.
It has further been shown to be advantageous if a minimum foot space of a rear occupant is determined by a minimum length of a respective length region of the non-deformable center tunnel region laterally of the vehicle seat. If the deformable outer region of the transverse element is thus impacted, it is ensured by the length region of the non-deformable center region (which remains at least undeformed), that the rear occupant cannot clamp his legs or feet between the side skirt moved inwards due to the accident and the vehicle seat.
It is furthermore advantageous if the transverse element is rigidly connected to the body of the passenger car. An extremely stable floor structure can thus for example be created, which has corresponding lateral deformation zones, in order to hereby permit an intrusion into the passenger cell or its deformation in a controlled manner. If the transverse element is thereby connected rigidly to the body of the motor vehicle, these deformation zones can be adjusted in a particularly advantageous and exact manner.
Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the transverse element can be integrated into the passenger car in a releasable manner. It would thereby be conceivable for example to use the vehicle seat together with the transverse element in the body of the motor vehicle that is already present, wherein the outer regions of the transverse element are then correspondingly supported at the side skirts of the body.
It is furthermore advantageous if the transverse element comprises a foot support, in particular a foot support that can be moved from a non-usage position into a usage position. An extremely comfortable and beneficial support can thus be provided for the rear occupant. A further advantage of such a foot support is that it—especially in its unfolded usage position—can be consulted additionally for supporting the transverse element. It is thereby conceivable that the foot support is partially associated with the non-deformable center region and partially with the corresponding deformable outer region of the transverse element. In other words, it would for example be conceivable to design the foot support partially deformable and partially un-deformable or more stiff, in order to reproduce the desired deformation behavior of the transverse element hereby.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.